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AIBU?

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Original poster

To think that Next are totally out of order

38 replies

Pennies · 12/04/2010 17:09

I bought some stuff from Next via their website and they've gone and made a credit account for me without me asking for one.

Apparently I've got a whopping £900.00 worth of credit with them!!! I never asked for this limit or any kind of credit facility at all.

This totally p's me off because I hate having credit with individual stores. I buy stuff on my credit or debit card and that way I can keep close tabs on what's been paid where and when.

This is just a way of exploiting those who maybe more relaxed about buying stuff on store credit and I can see how some people might get themselves into big financial trouble via scams like this.

Anyone else think this is a pretty dubious way of hooking customers into buying from them repeatedly. I can barely believe it's legal.

OP posts:
Original poster
Pennies · 12/04/2010 17:11

Sorry - I never knowingly asked for this credit. Obviously there was some tiny kind of box on the website that I must have failed to tick at some point or other.

I hated how the website worked and thought it wasn't user friendly. Now I know why...

OP posts:
ASecretLemonadeDrinker · 12/04/2010 17:11

I don't think you can buy from Next online 'normally', although it never really says in an obvious way you will be getting credit! It is sneaky, I agree.

TheChewyToffeeMum · 12/04/2010 17:13

Watch out - they will probably send you the directories now and charge your account (£3.50 I think) each time.

aconfusedmum · 12/04/2010 17:13

ring them to close it down?

wem · 12/04/2010 17:14

I signed up over the weekend and there was a point at which you could say you wanted to pay by debit card instead of getting an account, but you didn't get things like free returns etc if you did so.

I agree, it is dodgy practice and has stopped me from using them online before now.

SloanyPony · 12/04/2010 17:14

Careful, next you know they will be sending you a directory catalogue 6 times a year and charging you for it plus delivery.

I have recently ended a long winded dispute with them over a parcel I sent back which they say they didn't receive back, and despite providing them with proof of return and making countless phonecalls to their dreadful overseas call centre and going round and round in circles, it took 4 months to resolve, and all the while they were charging me interest on the item which was still on my bill.

Eventually they refunded me plus £10 extra for interest/phonecalls but only after I contacted Trading Standards and filed a case.

I'd avoid them like the plague.

boogeek · 12/04/2010 17:16

The other really annoying thing they do is sign you up to receive their catalogue which you have to pay for. YANBU.

muggglewump · 12/04/2010 17:17

They did this to me and gave me £1500 of credit when I was on Income Support.

I didn't use it but I hated that it was even there so didn't order from them again and after many phone calls got the account cancelled.
Never again which is a shame really as I like their teen range for myself and have never seen it in a shop.

pointydog · 12/04/2010 17:21

I hate buying online from next but had to do so today as I couldn't order swimsuits for the dds in-store and we spent an AGE choosing them at home. Why don't they do their online shopping in a normal way?

emsyj · 12/04/2010 17:23

They did this to me so I wrote them a stroppy letter and copied it to the mail order watchdog and they sent me a full apology and £30 gift vouchers. They also did it to a colleague of mine, who requested a copy of her credit agreement when they sent her a bill and when they couldn't, she refused to pay for the goods. Apparently was nothing they could do about it. I wasn't brave enough to try this one and didn't really have time to look up all the legalities, but may do one day... I am a solicitor but it's not my area and I was too bone idle to spend hours working it out, but colleague was pretty convinced that there was nothing they could do to force her to pay up and they didn't ever chase her for the money.

I think it is disgusting and YANBU. I will never order from them again. Believe it's been on Watchdog or similar TV show, but not seen it on there myself or else I would never have placed order in the first place. The really galling thing for me was that when I placed the order and it didn't ask for payment, I rang up customer services to query it and they said, 'oh it opens a credit account automatically'. I EMPHATICALLY told them that I didn't want one and had not consented to having one and they told me they had cancelled the order and I re-ordered and paid on a credit card instead - but then got a bill a week later. Was beyond all reason, hence stinking letter filled with threats, demands etc.

bran · 12/04/2010 17:24

mugglewump, you can go into any Next shop and order from the catalogue, pay in the normal way with cash/credit card/debit card and have it delivered to the store for free or delivered to your home for a delivery charge. It's what I do for DS's school stuff as I got caught by the account thing once in the past and had to get them to close the account.

pointydog · 12/04/2010 17:25

ah, bran, that's what I thought. I could order the school stuff I wnated but was told I couldn't get the swimwear through the store.

Rocinante · 12/04/2010 17:25

Thank you, you've just reminded me to cancel my account. They did the same to me when I ordered something to take advantage of a voucher, and I sailed through the order blindly only realising I couldn't pay there and then after it was too late.

I think it's pretty shoddy to do this to customers without making it very clear that you are opening an account. I can't think of any other retailers that I've used online that do this.

dizietsma · 12/04/2010 17:28

DH and I had this problem too, it's a total liberty. Why can't I just buy something from their website without creating an account?

catkinq · 12/04/2010 17:35

YANBU. I had real problems with next over this. I specifically told the lady on the phone when I originally ordered that I did not want any kind of account, I just wanted tobuy something and pay for it. She said fine but next thing I know I'm getting account statements and catalogues that I didn't want and did nt want to pay for. Do not shop with Next!

dizietsma · 12/04/2010 17:36

That's what happened to us catking, it's totally out of order.

Original poster
Pennies · 12/04/2010 17:36

I do remember definitely ticking the "no copes of the directory" box so if I do get one I'll be properly pissed off.

SloanyPony - I've sent this stuff back too because it looked nothing like it did online and I hope they don't much me around on that front too.

wem - was it only be debit card? That's why i wouldn't have ticked it then because I make all my online purchases with a credit card in case there's an issue with it getting lost or damaged at any point and then it's covered by insurance I never by online with a debit card.

emsyj - they've sent me a credit agreement which I have to sign and send back, so it is after the event of purcahse that they've sent it so I'm not sure they can enforce it can they?

Very annoyed that have been had by this. I thought I saw something about this on the news not so long ago and thought it would be only dodgy companies, not one that I thought was quite reputable like Next. Will never shop from them again. Scheisters.

OP posts:
MrsKitty · 12/04/2010 17:37

They did this to me too - I paid part gift vouchers and wanted to pay the rest with a debitcard, but ended up with a credit agreement.

To add insult to injury I went instore to try to exchange the item as it didn't fit, they didn't have it in my size so if I could exchange for something else..."no", they said,"you can only exchange like for like" so I asked for a refund. They refused to refund my partial giftcard payment saying that it'd have to go as credit on my account instead, but then I couldn't use my credit agreement details to purchase the alternative item as I hadn't received my card yet and the account was too new .

Ended up having to get nextonline to send me new gift vouchers, then close the account. Of course they couldn't close the account because I owed them 3.50 for a catalogue that had been dispatched and would have to wait for it to be returned before they could close the account.

The salesperson I deal with during my in-store debacle said "yes, we get lots of complaints about the way the website works, but they're a separate business - nothing to do with us really"

Needless to say, I've not shopped at next online or instore (once i'd spent my vouchers) ever again.

Long story short - Avoid Next Online like the plague unless you want a huge credit agreement with something ridiculous like 36% APR to your name, and access to perhaps some of the worst customer service in Retail.

LoveBeingAMummy · 12/04/2010 17:43

Their call centre is in the UK, in fact down the road from me.

You don't have to have the directories, I don't and don't get charged for them.

it's quite clear that a credit acount may be opened plus that you are ordeing from thei via the directory.

Also can't remember who it was but please don't use your debit card online you have zero protection from fraud/disputes with sites you have used.

Rockbird · 12/04/2010 17:47

Do people not read things any more? And if you pay off the account in full there is no further issue. They don't send you the directories if you don't order anything.

I have never had anything but a positive experience with Next, from socks and pants right up to washer dryers and furniture. They can hardly be blamed if you don't read what you're agreeing to. I have exchanged everything and anything, way past the allowed time and with no receipt. Never ever a problem.

emsyj · 12/04/2010 17:50

"emsyj - they've sent me a credit agreement which I have to sign and send back, so it is after the event of purcahse that they've sent it so I'm not sure they can enforce it can they?"

I don't know the answer tbh, but I would be inclined to NOT sign it although I wouldn't refuse to pay for stuff I'd received. I WOULD write them a complaint letter though! I suspect they wouldn't ask you to sign it if they didn't think you needed to, so it could well be that they have no comeback if you don't sign it and refuse to pay, but wouldn't want to say that in case it's wrong cos I've not looked at the legalities of it.

LoveBeingAMummy, sorry but I DON'T think it is clear that a credit account 'may be opened' - if it had been, I wouldn't have bloody placed the order! It seems you are the only one who thinks their system is clear... I am generally very very cautious about this sort of thing and was careful to make sure I had chosen NOT to receive the directory etc.

Rocinante · 12/04/2010 17:52

Of course people read things, don't be disingenuous. What most people are saying, including me, is that it is not made clear. There can be an awful lot of information on a webpage, which may be difficult to digest. And that unless you're familiar with their system which is so different to others, you don't realise till too late.

emsyj · 12/04/2010 17:53

Rockbird, I don't want a credit account - it can affect your credit rating. I don't want statements. I am not interested in having an account with them or anyone else - nor in them storing my personal details for all eternity.

NB I read things VERY thoroughly but it was not obvious to me - and clearly lots of other people have had the same issue here...

damnedchilblains · 12/04/2010 17:59

Sorry but agree with Rockbird it's pretty clear. Just pay up and close down the account.

Jacanne · 12/04/2010 18:04

You don't have to have the directories - I don't. They have taken away the option to pay directly - you used to be able to choose with each order - it is annoying.